Improvement in roofing-tiles



G. ELBREG.

ROOFING TILE.

Patented Dec. 26,1876.

)i I Mid Us ITED STATES GEORGE ELBREG, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF OF HIS PATENT OFFICE.

RIGHT TO ALFRED J. HODDER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROOFING-TILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 185,632, datedDecember 26, 1876; application filed May 31, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ELBREG, of Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Roofing-Tiles; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

Figure 1 represents the upper side of my improved tile. Fig. 2represents the under side of the same. Fig. 3 represents the arrangementof the tiles as used upon the roof of a building.

Among the objects to be attained by my invention are the combination ofstrength and lightness, economy of construction, capability of beinginterchangeably used, avoiding loss or injury from unequal shrinkage inburning, security against breakage in the kiln and in the roof, besidesproviding a tile which gives to the roof in which it is laid anornamental and attractive appearance.

My improved tile is particularly designed to obviate the objections totile roofs on account of having hitherto been of excessive weight andcumbersome; and roofs covered with them presented an unsightlyappearance.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, which represents the outside ofthe tile, is provided with the curved ribs M M, which are connected bythe rib B at the upper end; and the under side (shown in Fig. 2) is provided with the circular rim or flange A, of corresponding form to theribs M M, as shown at H H in Fig. 3, where the tiles are arranged asupon aroof. The under side of the, tile also has two straight flanges,G, which extend from spaces as m to the upper end of the tile, andV-shaped ribs 01 upon the central portion, and bosses e c around theholes, (for the insertion of nails to secure the tiles to a roof.) Theseflanges, ribs, and bosses project equally from the body of the tile, andoccupy the same plane in relation thereto occupied by the flange A.

These features coni'e strength to the tile, and enable it to be madecomparatively thin and light. Besides, these projections enable thetiles to be arranged in tiers one upon another, and to occupy horizontalpositions, instead of being placed vertically, resting upon their edgesin the kilna method of burning which causes both warping and breakage.

When the tiles are thus placed one upon another the ribs d, whichstrengthen the tiles, serve as central supports to equalize the weight,and occupy the plane surface of the outer or upper side of the tilerepresented in Fig. 1; the flanges G G will occupy the spaces along theupper margins opposite to the curved flanges M M. and the flange A willbear against the correspondingly'formed lower margin of the adjoiningtile in the kiln--that is say, when the tile represented in Fig. 2 isreversed and placed upon the tile represented in Fig. 1, the flanges andribs upon the one will not come in contact with those upon the other,but will allow the tiles to occupy parallel horizontal planes, and alsoallow communicating spaces between them for the free and equal diflusionof the heat of the kiln.

Thus my improvement does not only facilitate the process of burning, butgreatly economizes by avoiding breakage.

The form and arrangement of the ribs M M and of the curved flanges A Aare such that when placed in their proper relation in the roof the rib'B will occupy the opening at w of the two adjoining tiles, and the spacebetween ribs M M is sufficient to permit the overlying tiles to beadjusted toward and from each other, to an extent that will compensatefor any unequal shrinkage caused in the burning.

The uniform shape of the tiles, each having corresponding ledges andflanges, enables their use interchangeably, so as to form aperfectly-close roof; and it is apparent that the upper ends of thetiles may be made rectangular, so as to make the entire roof of twothicknesses, and without departing from the essential form and mode ofconstruction described.

Having fully described my improvement in roofing-tiles, I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The arrangement of the nnitedribs M M Witness my hand. this-21th ,tiay at April, on the upper side ofthe tile, in combination 1,876. with the supporting-ribs A (3, with theopen- I ings am: between them on the under side, snb- GEORGE ELBREG.

stantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The strengthening and supporting ribs Attest: and flanges 0 d,arranged substantially as and M. B. FEESHMAN, for the purpose described.H. P. K. PEOK."

